JoJo's isn't one of my favorites. Bread isn't as good as other places and the dogs are tiny. They are Best's and are supposed to be spicy. A traditional Italian Hot Dog uses a spicy beef hot dog. Schickhaus is a milder beef/pork blend. Very good, but not the dog for an Italian Hot Dog. I enjoyed the Schickhaus dog I had at Max's last week.

I think it's a combination of things. Those who own strip malls are always looking to get in big companies who can afford to pay very high rents. As a result small businesses and mom and pop restaurants are pushed out. Competition from Smashburger and Chipotle which moved in recently didn't help either. Syd's was pushed out when the rent was raised. A Staples moved in. I would have rather had Syd's, Tabatchnik's, and Sonny Amster's, all which were pushed out.

Many years ago I worked part time at Haydu. They made different varieties of hot dogs but the Stewarts were different and kept seperate from the rest because the recipe was different. When Haydu shut down Stewarts switched to Oscar Meyer and they would have the hotdog mobile at some of the Stewarts but that didn't last long. I saw it a couple of times at the Kearney place. Since I now live in Toms River we have one of the best Stewarts around but the hot dogs are bland. We go there mainly for the root beer.

Living in Toms River for many years I've gone to Jo-Jos a couple of times. They arent the best Italian dogs and they're way overpriced. I used to work in Linden and there was a place on Wood Ave. called Big Blues, much better than Jo-Jos and half the price.

I agree with you. I've been to JoJo's and it's nothing special. Big Blues is a rea find. Primarily a sub shop, but they make one of the 3 or 4 best Italian Hot Dogs. At least one of my favorites along with Tommy's, Marci's, and Jimmy Buff's Kenilworth.

As of a few years ago I've heard that some Stewart's (Kearny and Rockaway) still served Haydus although the plant in Newark closed. I heard the dogs were made elsewhere. Do you know anything about this?

The Travel Channel will be coming out with a new show called America Eats. I have been asked to appear on the pilot with celebrity chef Jose Andres. We will be discussing hot dogs. Tuesday is when the episode will done. Will find out when it will be aired. Here is an article and video of last week's Hot Dog Tour.http://hotdogstories.com/the-9th-annual-new-jersey-hot-dog-tour/

When I lived in Kearny (up till May of 2012) I was a regular at Stewarts. It was less than 1/2 mile from my condo. They served one of my favorite chili dogs. I was very surprised to learn that it was from a can. Go figure? I asked what brand of hot dogs they were using. The girl went back to the kitchen and can back to tell me that they were Sabrett all beef. Again, a surprise, as I had heard that they used a beef/pork blend.

Don St - I lived in Newark's Ironbound for the first 57 years of my life. We were 3 blocks from Haydu's. As a little kid, I would go to Haydu's with my Mom. They would always give the kids a hot dog (probably to keep us quiet while our Mom's placed their order). Those were the good ole days. You don't get nutin for nutin anymore.

Hatfield's natural casing hot dogs are now available at Marci's Dog House. 8/1 in size and prepared deep fried, griddled, or in water. A unique smokey rich flavor. This dog was voted favorite 2 years in a row on the New Jersey Hot Dog Tour when we enjoyed them at the Rahway Grill. Unfortunately this place doesn't prepare them well anymore, leaving only a few on the grill all day until they are wrinkled and shrivelled up. At Marci's they are cooked to order and fresh. This is the only place I know of other than the Rahway Grill that grills this dog. If you are in Morris County 2 places serve it dirty water style. Mazzi Dawgz in West Orange and Curbside Cafe in Parsippany. They're good at Curbside, but I wouldn't recommend Mazzi's as they have been known to keep the dogs in the water too long.

Marci's also serves Best's 6/1 nc franks as a regular dog and on their excellent Italian Hot Dogs as well as dirty water Sabretts. The IHD is only available occasionally, but it is hands down the best anywhere. This truck has more variety as far as the dogs offered and the way they are prepared. Although I'm not big on toppings they have a lot of different relishes, krauts and chilis.

DownNeckBetty, one of my jobs was to go through the returns and check vac packs for air. If there was any I was supposed to take them outside and dump them in a dumpster. They never got to the dumpster because there were about 30 stray dogs in the area that loved me.

John, You really need to come to Chicago for a hot dog tour. Here is a great stand with lot's of Chicago attitude. Please be advised, this is not for the faint of heart and be prepared for foul language. www.teamcoco.com/video/triumph-wiener-circle If this is too over the top, I'll understand if the moderators make it disappear.

I would love to one day. My son was in Chicago recently and came across Jim's as it was the only place to eat late where he was. He did enjoy it although he doesn't eat hot dogs much. I have seen the Wiener Circle on youtube. I also saw a few episodes of a TV show they were featured on. I would enjoy it late at night.

The Travel Channel will be coming out with a new show called America Eats. I have been asked to appear on the pilot with celebrity chef Jose Andres. We will be discussing hot dogs. Tuesday is when the episode will done. Will find out when it will be aired. Here is an article and video of last week's Hot Dog Tour. http://hotdogstories.com/the-9th-annual-new-jersey-hot-dog-tour/

I went to Out of This World today for the first time since they reopened. Originally they served the Thumann's deep fryer and a Vienna beef dog. The Vienna was griddled and the Thumann's was deep fried. Eventually they switched from the deep fryer to the griller. The Thumann's griller is my favorite beef/pork dog. But I prefer it griddled. They prepared it in the deep fryer. Well today my Thumann's was griddled the way I like it

.All their hot dogs are now prepared on a griddle topped with a little bit of peanut oil. I had a Vienna beef w/just mustard and a Thumann's griller with their homemade Texas Weiner style chili.

The Vienna dog was good, but I prefer this one in water or chargrilled. Next time I'll have it with the Chicago toppings. The Thumann's was a standout. Very few places I know grill the Thumann's griller. And those that do have not prepared it well. Out of This World prepared it perfectly. Grilled long enough and it was juicy and had a little extra flavor from the peanut oil on the grill. A nice touch. The Texas Weiner chili is top notch and every bit as good as the Hot Grill, Libby's, and Pappy's. But I like the Thumann's griller better than the deep fryer served at most Texas Weiner joints.

I'm glad that Out of This World reopened. They will be sticking with the Thumann's griller and will be preparing it the way they did today. They also serve a Thumann's all beef dog as well as the Vienna beef and a Chicago style Polish dog. Everything is prepared fresh when you order it. I'm glad I found somewhere that serves the Thumann's (6/1) griller and does it well. This place may just serve my favorite beef/pork frank and Texas Weiner. I'm glad that I gave them another chance. I believe and hope that the second time around will prove to be very succesful for this small restaurant serving unique and tasty hot dogs.

John, I'm surprised you went back after the debacle at last year's Hot Dog Tour. Are there new owners, or did you just give them another chance? I'm not so sure I would go back if it's the same people, they really messed up.

No, the same owners. Sandra the owner apologized for the debacle which occurred at the 2011 Tour. I always liked the dogs there and since it's so close to me I decided to give them another chance. They were closed for awhile and the business was struggling. I do hope they succeed. It's extremely rare to see Vienna beef in Jersey. And no one is using the Thumann's griller that I know of except Geenies Weenies on Rt 22 in Branchburg and they do a bad job of preparing it. I gave them 3 chances too. I can make the Thumann's at home, but the Texas Weiner chili is real good at Out of This World. Nice to be able to get a great Texas Weiner and not have to travel to Clifton or Paterson.

Enjoyed a "three dog night" with my pal Screenbear. First to Karl Ehmer's in Hillsdale. A small store with meats made at Karl Ehmer's headquarters in College Point Queens. They have all kinds of wursts and sausages. German franks are from Kocher's in Ridgefield Park, N.J. and considered by many to be the best in Jersey. Up there in my opinion with Thumann's and Union Pork Store. They have a cart outside manned by the hot dog lady which has a grill, griddle, and a compartment for water. Serving beef dogs, German dogs, bratwurst, and other sausages. I had a griddled German dog which is as good as it gets. It's between this place and Out of This World (Thumann's griller) as to which place serves the best/my favorite grilled German style dog. I bought 2 to take home. Not cheap at $7.99/lb, but... worth it. Will be comparing these to some from the Union Pork Store and Thumann's tomorrow. My 3 favorite in this style. You can get the Kocher's franks at their butcher shop in Ridgefield Park, Karl Ehmer's in Hillsdale, and John's Meat Market in Scotch Plains. John's charges $9.99/lb.

Next was Hiram's in Fort Lee. A tiny little place with a tiny little bar serving inexpensive draft beer ($1.50 for a pint of MGD, but $3.50 for bottled beer) and deep fried Thumann's. This dog is the same recipe Thumann's for deep frying that Rutt's Hut, Libby's, Goffle Grill, Johnny & Hanges, and others use. It's a little thicker and bigger here, 7/1 as opposed to 8/1 at most other places. Toasted bun and a nice, slightly spicy chili. This one is straightforward and complements the dogs. No cinnamon/nutmeg/clove flavor here. Great atmosphere and excellent deep fried dogs.

Last stop was Shake N Grill in Clifton. This place was the Papaya King in the Corrados shopping center. Same owner and same great dogs. Name was changed so that customers wouldn't think of it as primarily a hot dog joint. Hot dogs make up only 15% of what they sell. They serve cheesesteaks, burgers, wraps, sandwiches, salads, shakes, smoothies, and a few other things. And of course hot dogs. The same as they served when they were Papaya King. 10/1 natural casing Sabrett. Only thing that changed is the price. And it went down! $1.59 is a great value for a 10/1 natural casing Sabrett. I like this dog prepared in water, but it's even better on the griddle in my opinion. Very few beef dogs match up to this one. I prefer it with a little mustard to all of the expensive fancy pants "haute dogs" that are out there. This is the same place that was a popular stop twice on the Jersey Hot Dog Tour.

It's been about 2 years since I've been to Shake N Grill (Papaya King) and longer for the other 2. All 3 are among my top 10 or 15 places out of well more than 100 that I've been to and worth checking out.

I saw the article. I've heard of this place previously as a friend of mine went there 2 or 3 times. It seems as though the owners are trying to do something similar to Hot Doug's in Chicago as far as offering meats like snake, alligator, etc. And I'm not crazy about all the toppings which to me masks the flavor of the frankfurter. They do offer a "regular" hot dog, which is a Sabrett. I'll probably get down there soon. More to talk than to eat.

You are spot on. They are trying a Hout Doug's concept. I understand they are serving handcut fries which I think they fry in Duck fat on Fridays like HD's does on Saturday. The question is will people consistently pay the higher prices these more exoctic sauseges cost?

A comprehensive book on hot dogs, Man Bites Dog is now available in bookstores and through Amazon.com. Excellent book with a lot of Jersey places profiled. I spent a whole day taking the author around to hot dog establishments representing the different styles and types of hot dogs available in New Jersey. Mr. Kraig has gone all over the country to sample hot dogs and hot dog culture. A great book for anyone who loves hot dogs and the history of them as well as learning regional styles.